Undergarment with audio-emitting device

ABSTRACT

An underwear garment has a pocket for housing a sound-emitting device. The device plays a desired pre-recorded sound and is removable for the purpose of interchanging devices so different sounds may be chosen. The sounds can include popular song lyrics, school alma mater songs, and sports team cheers and theme songs. The device may have recording capabilities so the wearer may replay a personalized prerecorded message while wearing the undergarment.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to garments and specifically to underwear having a sound-emitting device.

2. Description of the Related Art

There are a few basic types of underwear garments, such as panties, sports briefs, and boxer shorts. Women's panties vary in material, color, style, and consumers purchase products which fit their own tastes. Children's undergarments include the ‘onesey’ for infants, and there is a multitude of licensed products with popular children's characters.

Many garments used for sports have been fashioned with a small pocket for the purpose of holding pedometers, portable-music playing devices, and personal items such as keys or money. There are novelty garments with noise pads, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,335, which has an audible squeaking noise at the elbows and feet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,364 is for a sound-generating outer garment, such as a coat, suit, or jacket. The garment includes extensive wiring and various switches for an AM/FM radio apparatus throughout the coat.

There is a multiplicity of novelty items which emit spoken words, tunes, and song lyrics. A more popular recent market item is a greeting card which contains a small sound-emitting device, whereupon activation (usually by opening the card) emits song lyrics or spoken words. The sound-emitting devices typically utilized in the novelty industry, especially in the greeting cards, are surprisingly small and unnoticeable in light of the quality of sound emitted.

An object of the invention is to provide a fashionable, comfortable garment that emits sound. Another object of the present invention is to provide licensed underwear garments which emit theme-song audio and maintain the characteristics of the underlying underwear style, whether it be women's panties, sports briefs, or an infantwear. Still another object of the present invention is to provide underwear garments which have an ability to emit a personal pre-recorded message.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a novelty underwear garment that has a pocket for the purpose of holding a sound-emitting device therein. The device, upon actuation by a user, plays a pre-determined sound. The sound is typically a popular song lyric, but can also be a college sport team anthem or alma mater song. In an alternative embodiment, the device also has recording and playback capabilities, for the purpose of replaying a personalized message.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view in perspective of a sports briefs style of underwear garment, with the pocket on the outside front panel of the briefs, and the audio-emitting device displayed therein.

FIG. 2 is a side view in perspective of women's panties with dashed lines displaying the pocket holding the audio-emitting device connected to the waist at a on the right side of the person.

FIG. 3 is a view from the backside of a user wearing the novelty garment, whereby the waistband is cut away to display the pocket and audio-emitting device shown on the left side of the waistband.

In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Looking at FIG. 1, this embodiment of invention displays an undergarment 10 having a waistband 14 portion which connects to front and back panels 12 and 13, respectively. The waistband 14 is composed of a flexible elastic fabric material. The front panel 12 includes a pocket 18. The pocket 18 is connected to the undergarment 10 along the waistband 14, and in FIG. 1 is connected an outer region of the front panel 12. However, the pocket 18 nay be connected town inner region of the undergarment 10. The pocket 18 has an upper, inward directed, free edge portion 20 for the purpose of accepting and enveloping an audio-emitting device 22. The pocket 18 is substantially permanently secured to the undergarment 10, such as by stitching the pocket 18 to the waistband 14, but the pocket may also be removably secured, such as by Velcro, button, or snap (not shown).

In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, women's panty style underwear 30 is displayed with the pocket 48 on the right side of a waistband 34. The pocket 48 houses an audio-device 42. In FIG. 2, the pocket 48 is removable and can be re-attached at a second position on the waistband 34. Front panel 32 and rear panel 33 merge into each other or are interconnected at a crotch 36. The underwear 30 functions to securely cover the genitalia at the crotch 36 where the panels 32 and 33 meet.

As seen in FIG. 3, a woman 60 is wearing the underwear 30. The waistband 34 extends around the waist of the person 60 with the front panel 32 positioned to cover the genitalia of the person 60 wearing the underwear 30. The rear panel 33 covers the back of the pelvic region. The pocket 48 holding the audio-emitting device 42 is now reattached to the underwear 30 positioned along the left side of the waistband 34.

In the preferred embodiment, the devices 22 and 42 are substantially circular or oval-shaped, in order to avoid rigid or sharp edges and corners, and minimize any additional padding that may be necessary for the pockets 18 and 48. The user must actuate the devices 22 and 42 in order to emit the sound, which is intended to be a pre-determined recording such as song lyrics or spoken words. The audio-emitting devices 22 and 42 are removable from the respective pockets 18 and 48, so that the various devices are interchangeable. The audio-emitting devices 22 and 42 may be any of those standard devices in the industry, such as those utilized in novelty greeting cards and interactive holiday display decorations, which require a user to perform a task such as opening the card or pressing a button to cause the sound to be emitted. In an alternative embodiment, a device may also contain a USB port for uploading a desired sound form a web-based system and database. Finally, in still another embodiment, a device may also have recording capabilities, for the purpose of hearing a personalized message. For example, a loved one can record a message and the wearer can listen to the message emitted from his or her underwear upon activating the device.

While certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. An undergarment, comprising: a waist portion connected to a back portion and a front portion, said back and front portions being merged at a crotch, the front portion having an internal side; wherein a pocket comprising a free edge portion and configured to house an audio-emitting device is affixed to said internal side of said front portion.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said undergarment is sports brief underwear.
 3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said undergarment is women's panties.
 4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the sides of the pocket are sewn on the inner side of the front portion along the greater part of the front portion, extending vertically.
 5. The invention of claim 1, wherein the pocket is manufactured in a material which can be penetrated by air and/or moisture.
 6. The invention of claim 1, wherein the pocket is manufactured in a material also being elastic.
 7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said undergarment is an infant unitary body suit.
 8. The invention of claim 1, wherein the pocket is detachable from the waistband. 